Seville City Council has agreed with the unions to regulate remote work for its more than 4,300 employees, who will be able to work one day a week from home during a trial year. The system will start within a maximum period of six months.
Seville City Council, the second largest public administration with the most workers in Andalusia, has greenlit a new remote work system for its entire staff. The agreement, signed by Mayor José Luis Sanz and the unions, establishes that the 4,300 municipal employees will have the right to one day of remote work per week, provided that essential services are guaranteed.
A year of trials with equitable rotation
The new model will begin with a twelve-month trial period. During this time, the City Council will implement a fair and equitable rotation system to assign remote work days. If there is no agreement among the workers, priority will be given to those with reduced mobility, those over 60 years old, employees living outside the city, or those with family reconciliation needs.
“However, it must be allowed for all those who need it to access remote work,” emphasise UGT, one of the signing union sections. The agreement highlights the voluntary and reversible nature of the measure: the City Council may suspend it for accredited and justified needs.
Computer equipment and technical requirements
The City Council has committed to providing each employee with a portable computer equipped with all necessary tools and cybersecurity measures. The same computer will be used both in the office and at home. While the acquisition of the equipment is completed, the use of personal computers will be authorised.
However, remote work does not necessarily have to be carried out at the employee's home. It can be conducted at any location that has the required technical means and minimum health and safety conditions. The use of internet connections from businesses, hospitality venues, public places, or other establishments is expressly prohibited.
Implementation deadlines: up to six months
Once the Governing Board approves the system, the City Council will have three months for the general directorates to determine which positions can be eligible for remote work. The IT service will have another three months to establish the technical conditions and distribute or certify the equipment. In total, the process should not exceed six months.
“This represents a qualitative leap towards rationalisation and cybersecurity, as old desktop equipment will be progressively removed and replaced with a single portable corporate computer,” explained Mayor José Luis Sanz.
The Junta de Andalucía, waiting
The municipal agreement was finalised just before the Junta de Andalucía implements its own resolution on remote work, which had been frozen pending the new distribution of ministries following the pact between PP and Vox. For now, Seville City is taking the lead and setting the path for its 4,300 employees, who will be able to combine in-person and remote work starting in the coming months.
For the residents of Seville, the measure will not mean an immediate change in municipal services, as minimum in-person attendance is guaranteed. However, in the long term, it could streamline procedures and reduce travel. Those interested in participating will have to wait for the rotation system to be defined in their respective areas.
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